The Art of Hearing Heartbeats Audiobook By Jan-Philipp Sendker cover art

The Art of Hearing Heartbeats

A Novel

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The Art of Hearing Heartbeats

By: Jan-Philipp Sendker
Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
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A poignant and inspirational love story set in Burma, The Art of Hearing Heartbeats spans the decades between the 1950s and the present.

When a successful New York lawyer suddenly disappears without a trace, neither his wife nor his daughter Julia has any idea where he might be - until they find a love letter he wrote many years ago to a Burmese woman they have never heard of. Intent on solving the mystery and coming to terms with her father’s past, Julia decides to travel to the village where the woman lived. There she uncovers a tale of unimaginable hardship, resilience, and passion that will reaffirm the listener’s belief in the power of love to move mountains.

Jan-Philipp Sendker, born in Hamburg in 1960, was the American correspondent for Stern from 1990 to 1995 and its Asian correspondent from 1995 to 1999. In 2000 he published Cracks in the Great Wall, a nonfiction book about China. The Art of Hearing Heartbeats is his first novel. He lives in Berlin with his family.

©2002 Karl Blessing Verlag. Translation 2006 by Kevin Wiliarty (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc. Contemporary Family Life Genre Fiction Historical Fiction Literary Fiction World Literature Heartfelt

Critic reviews

“Absolute magic…Like a spell, it haunts. Like love, it’s going to endure.” (Caroline Leavitt, New York Times best-selling author)
Beautiful Love Story • Lyrical Writing • Soothing Voice • Well-developed Characters • Emotional Depth
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What did you like best about this story?

The mystery in the story makes this a fun book to listen too. It has an unexpected twist.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

yes

Any additional comments?

The characters of this book are all so well developed. And each one on their own journey.

Could not put it away

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Would you listen to The Art of Hearing Heartbeats again? Why?

Yes, this book is such a beautiful story I could listen to several times just to pick up on parts I might not have paid enough attention to the first time through

What did you like best about this story?

The oddest love story I have ever enjoyed. Not much of a romance reader, this is a love story like none I've read before

What about Cassandra Campbell’s performance did you like?

Easy to listen to, character were different yet not contrived

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Too long for one sitting.

5 stars

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I really wanted to like this; it had been recommended to me by 2 people whose recommendations I usually love. However, it didn't quite do it for me. I found the structure of the story -- a retelling of history from one person to another - was a bit contrived, and I don't think successful in this application. i kept hoping it would take flight, but i never felt that it did. I found the narrator contributed to this too - not the best choice for this story.

I wanted to like this...

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I was immediately interested and then I started to really dislike it. So glad I stuck it out. Was an amazing story.

From Cathy

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Where does The Art of Hearing Heartbeats rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

5 starts. Couldn't put it down. Very soothing narrator. Pulls you writ into the story.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Tin and MiMi. I felt that they were the perfect fit for each other. Each had obstacles to overcome.

Have you listened to any of Cassandra Campbell’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This is the first

Who was the most memorable character of The Art of Hearing Heartbeats and why?

Well this is hard because I liked both Tin and MiMi.

Any additional comments?

Truly a wonderful story.

True love story

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This is a touching and painful story. A gifted writer and fantastic narrator. Among the good in this world there is always evil...life is so difficult until you think of others problems....it makes you grateful.....this book shows this so well.

Touching

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I always love Campbell, but the story lagged and ending was drawn out, just ok

Story dragged at times

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What made the experience of listening to The Art of Hearing Heartbeats the most enjoyable?

This is a wondeful story of enduring love that I would highly recommend. There is nothing to which it easily compares. I loved it so much I had to buy a physical copy of the book.

Wonderful story about enduring love

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It is heartwarming and sentimental in it's portrayal of two people that together are whole. Despite years apart, their affection for one another, and no communication between them, endures out of a knowing that the other is alive and still loving them. It is also the journey of a daughter who finally sees who her father was by learning his secret.

A sweet story of a first and endless love

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One of the very best books I have ever read. The prose, the yearnings, the descriptions, the everythings written about here render one speechless and fill one with awe. Jan-Philipp Sendker is truly a gifted storyteller.

Moving, deeply felt masterpiece

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